Page:My Life in Two Hemispheres, volume 1.djvu/165

 to be remedied in the most practical and satisfactory manner. Many districts found that they could not do without the Nation, and they subscribed for it anew at their proper cost. The disobedience of authority when it became known at headquarters was counteracted in a manner we shall see presently. The first ally who brought a fresh and decisive force to the controversy was Father John Kenyon, of whom I have already spoken. He published a letter stating the actual facts of the case in a style of notable grace and lucidity, and with a careless confidence as if there was no dictator and no censorship to fear. The effect was electric. The plain truth awoke and arrested the whole community. Some of his notes to me at the time were characteristic:—

", Monday. "I am just after hearing by a communication from Mr. Ray that your paper is stopped from this parish. I have written to him, but in the meantime beg to send a year's subscription. I had requested before two or three copies of next Saturday's number.

"It may interest you to know what I replied to Mr. Ray. It was thus:—

"', In reply to your printed circular announcing the stoppage of our Nation newspaper, I beg to say—

"'That many of the contributors of the Repeal rent which I sent last February to the Association were mainly moved to contribute by the wish to get the Nation; if, therefore, you break your contract with them you are bound to remit their subscriptions.

"'That all the contributors of that sum are opposed to the policy of your present extreme measures, as you may see by our parish resolutions published in the Evening Freeman about a week since; and cannot convince themselves either of its justice or necessity. They can therefore be no parties to it.

"'That you may stop any paper which we would now select, in a month's time, just as fairly as you now stop the Nation.

"'I beg your committee, therefore, to relieve themselves of